Among the protein kinases, receptor-type kinases and nonreceptor-type kinases can be distinguished, as well as tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases. Depending on their localization, nuclear, cytoplasmic and membrane-associated kinases can be distinguished. Membrane-associated tyrosine kinases often are at the same time receptors for growth factors.
Protein kinases (PKs) are enzymes which catalyze the phosphorylation of specific serine, threonine or tyrosine residues in cellular proteins. These post-translational modifications of substrate proteins act as molecular switch as a step in regulating cell proliferation, activation and/or differentiation. Aberrant or excessive or more generally inappropriate PK activity has been observed in several disease states including benign and malignant proliferative disorders. In many cases, it has been possible to treat diseases in vitro and in many cases in vivo, such as proliferative disorders, by making use of PK inhibitors.
The number of protein kinase inhibitors is high. In addition, a multitude of proliferative and other PK-related diseases exists. In some cases, the treated diseases develop resistance against therapeutics. Also, in some patients very specific treatments are required. Thus, there is a continuous need to provide new classes of compounds that are useful as PK inhibitors and consequently in the treatment of these Protein Tyrosine Kinase (PTK) related diseases in order to add to the present equipment of available drugs. What is required are new classes of pharmaceutically advantageous PK inhibiting compounds.
The Philadelphia Chromosome is a hallmark for chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) and carries a hybrid gene that contains N-terminal exons of the bcr gene and the major C-terminal part (exons 2-11) of the c-abl gene. The gene product is a 210 kD protein (p210 Bcr-Abl). The Abl-part of the Bcr-Abl protein contains the abl-tyrosine kinase which is tightly regulated in the wild type c-abl, but constitutively activated in the Bcr-Abl fusion protein. This deregulated tyrosine kinase interacts with multiple cellular signaling pathways leading to transformation and deregulated proliferation of the cells (Lugo et al., Science 247, 1079 [1990]). Mutant forms of the Bcr-Abl protein have also been identified. A detailed review of Bcr-Abl mutant forms has been published (Cowan-Jones et al, Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 2004, 4 285-299). Treatment by inhibitors of c-abl and its mutations is useful against leukemias, e.g. AML and CML.
c-Kit is a tyrosine kinase receptor which belongs to the PDGF receptor family and becomes activated upon binding of its ligand SCF (stem-cell factor). The expression pattern of c-kit has been studied e.g. in a panel of different primary solid tumors. A strong expression of kit could be found inter alia in sarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), seminoma and carcinoids (Weber et al., J. Clin. Oncol. 22(14S), 9642 (2004). GIST are non-epithelial tumors, diagnostically separate from other common forms of bowel cancer. Many occur in the stomach, less in the small intestine and still less in the esophagus. Dissemination to the liver, omentum and peritoneal cavity can be observed. GISTS probably arise from Interstitial Cajal Cells (ICC) which normally form part of the autonomic nervous system of the intestine and take part in the control of motility. Most (50 to 80%) of GISTs arise due to c-kit gene mutation. In the gut, a staining positive for c-kit/CD117 is likely to be a GIST. Mutations of c-kit can make c-kit function independent of activation by SCF, leading to a high cell division rate and possibly genomic instability. Also in mast cell tumors aberrations of c-kit could be observed, as well as in mastocytosis and associated myeloproliferative syndrome and Urticaria Pigmentosa. An expression and/or aberrations of c-kit can also be found in acute myeloic anemia (AML) and malign lymphomas. A c-kit expression can also be demonstrated in small cell bronchial carcinoma, seminomas, dysgerminomas, testicular intraepithelial neoplasias, melanomas, mamma carcinomas, neuroblastomas, Ewing sarcoma, some soft part sarcomas as well as papillary/follicular thyroid carcinoma (see Schütte et al., innovartis March 2001). Inherited mutations of the RET (rearranged during transfection) proto-oncogene are e.g. known to be tumorigenic in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) which may lead to pheochromocytoma, medullary thyroid carcinoma and parathyroid hyperplasia/adenoma (see Huang et al., Cancer Res. 60, 6223-6 (2000)). In patients with MEN 2, germ-line mutations of RET and sometimes duplication of a mutant RET allele in trisomy 10 or loss of the wild type RET allele are commonly identified and believed to be activating, i.e. causing ligand-independent dimerization of the receptor.
Platelet derived growth factor receptors such as PDGFR-alpha and -beta are also trans-membrance tyrosine kinase receptors. Upon binding of the ligand that is formed from two A, two B or in heterodimers from one A and one B chain (PDGF-A, PDGF-B or PDGF-AB), the receptor dimerizes and its tyrosine kinase is activated. This leads to downstream signaling and thus may support tumor growth. Mutations in this gene allow for receptor activation independent of ligand binding and appear to be driving forces in oncogenesis (see GIST may also be characterized by activating mutations in the platelet-derived growth factor-receptor-alpha (PDGRF) gene. An expression of PDGF, the growth factor that activates PDGFR, was observed in a number of different tumor cell lines, inter alia in mamma, colon, ovarian, prostate carcinoma, sarcoma and glioblastomas cell lines. Among the tumors, brain tumors and prostate carcinoma (including adenocarcinomas and bone metastasis) have found special interest. Interesting data also exist regarding malign gliomes (anaplastic astrocytomas/glioblastomas). Interesting preclinical data have also been obtained in the treatment of Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, a soft part tumor which is genetically characterized by a fusion of the collagen-type Iα1 (COLIA1) with the PDGF-A
VEGFRs (vascular endothelial growth factor receptors) are known to be involved in the control of the onset of angiogenesis. As especially solid tumors depend on good blood supply, inhibition of VEGFRs and thus angiogenesis is under clinical investigation in the treatment of such tumors, showing promising results. VEGF is also a major player in leukemias and lymphomas and highly expressed in a variety of solid malignant tumors, correlating well with malignant disease progression. Examples of tumor diseases with VEGFR-2 (KDR) expression are lung carcinomas, breast carcinomas, Non Hodgkin's lymphomas, ovarian carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma and melanoma. In addition to its angiogenic activity, the ligand of VEGFR, VEGF, may promote tumor growth by direct pro-survival effects in tumor cells. Various other diseases are associated with deregulated angiogenesis, e.g. as mentioned below.
FLT3 is a member of the type III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase) is also known as FLk-2 (fetal liver kinase 2). Aberrant expression of the FLT3 gene has inter alia been documented in both adult and childhood leukemias including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), AML with trilineage myelodysplasia (AML/TMDS), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), as well as MLL (mixed-lineage leukemia). Activating mutations of the FLT3 receptor have been found in about 35% of patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), and are associated with a poor prognosis. The most common mutation involves an in-frame duplication within the juxtamembrane domain, with an additional 5-10% of patients having a point mutation at asparagine 835. Both of these mutations are associated with constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase activity of FLT3, and result in proliferation and viability signals in the absence of ligand. Patients expressing the mutant form of the receptor have been shown to have a decreased chance for cure. Thus, there is accumulating evidence for a role for hyperactivated (mutated) FLT3 kinase activity in human leukemias and myelodysplastic syndrome.
Angiopoietins (ligands of Tie-2) and Tie-2 are involved in vessel stabilization and vascular remodeling. It is known that Tie-2 is activated by one of its ligands, angiopoieitin-1, which is antagonized by a second ligand, angiopoietin-2 (ang2). In sites where angiogenesis takes place, the antagonist ang2 is up-regulated.
It is a problem to be solved by the present invention to provide new inhibitors of protein kinases, especially one or more of those just described, and to thus add new compounds to the few available compounds that exist so far.